


Bad Things Happen

by Stellana



Category: Pinky and the Brain
Genre: Warning for implied trauma, could be read as shippy or not, mostly sad mice, nothing graphic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-16
Updated: 2021-01-16
Packaged: 2021-03-13 19:47:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,015
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28783680
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stellana/pseuds/Stellana
Summary: Pinky experiences a traumatic event. Brain doesn't know what to do.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 18





	Bad Things Happen

**Author's Note:**

> Crossposting from FFN because why not. Just a short, quick drabble about sad mice.

“Pinky, hand me that...oh.”

Right. Of course he wasn’t here. Pinky was in no state to assist him. Hm.

Suddenly the lab felt vast and empty. He would take a break and check on the other mouse. Not because he was worried sick, or because it was becoming increasingly difficult to push forward with his plans without his steadfast companion. He just wanted a break. That was all. 

He made his way back to the cage. Pinky was easy enough to find. He was huddled in bed, back turned toward him. That’s where he’d been, more or less, the past few days. Brain approached cautiously, not wanting to startle him. He was so easily startled now. 

“Pinky,” he said. The mouse’s ears twitched in response. He could see the muscles of his shoulders stiffen as Brain sat gingerly on the bed. “Tonight’s the night, Pinky. This plan is sure to work. Wouldn’t you like to come and…” Brain paused, thinking of a task his fragile friend could perform, “and hold my screwdriver for me? Yes, it is quite...large and...unwieldy. I could use your assistance on this matter if I am to complete this plan by midnight. Do you think you could do that?” 

As usual, Pinky gave no response. He only curled further into himself. Brain sighed and looked away. He hadn’t heard the other’s voice in days. Under normal circumstances, one would assume this were a blessing. But these were not normal circumstances in the least. Something was very wrong with his cage mate, and most frustratingly of all, Brain simply did not know what. Pinky couldn’t, or wouldn’t, say what had happened. They’d gone to separate areas for testing. This was normal. Brain was going to the maze. Also normal. Pinky...well, he hadn’t paid attention to where Pinky went. The last he remembered was the lanky mouse waving at him, being carried off. 

“Bye, Brain! Have fun in the maze! Narf!”

It was all so normal. But when Pinky came back he was not. 

If Brain didn’t know any better he would have thought they’d brought him back a different mouse. His sunny disposition was gone entirely. The expression he wore was startlingly alien on his face. Shell shocked, is how Brain would describe it. Typically, Pinky was hard to break down. Brain realized this now. That despite everything, Pinky could always smile. He was always sturdy, physically. Unrelentingly positive, mentally. Why couldn’t he smile anymore? Brain tried everything to snap him out of it. But his eyes seemed to stare right through him. He shook all night. And though Brain stayed by his side, there was nothing to be done. He wouldn’t even allow a gentle pat on the arm. He couldn’t stand to be touched at all. How? How could this be? Brain could only hope that slowly, Pinky would return to his normal self. But it had been days with no change. No change at all. 

“Pinky, I..” Brain swallowed. What could he say? Nothing worked. Even so, he persisted, “Pinky. I miss you.” 

An ear twitch. So he was listening. Alright then.

“I’m sorry for whatever happened to you when I wasn’t there. I should have been there. If I had known…” his hands gripped the bed sheets in anger, “If I had known those monsters had something horrible planned for you, I never would have let you go. You do know that, right?”

No response.

“I need you to know I would have never let them take you from me. I am deeply sorry for my negligence. When I take over this rotten planet, the first thing I’ll do is burn this lab down, do you hear me? But until then…until then, Pinky I. I fear I need you. I need you dreadfully, my dear friend.” 

Brain choked back a sob. A sob? Oh. His face was wet. When did he start crying? But he had only a moment to contemplate that before Pinky turned towards him. His face was wet too. But his eyes, though filled with tears, were clearer and more focused than he’d seen in days. 

“Brain…” Pinky murmured.

Oh, how he never thought he’d say this, but he adored Pinky’s voice. Brain scrubbed the tears from his eyes, “I’m sorry,” he continued in spite of himself. 

“Horrible...it was really horrible…” Pinky shuddered, voice raspy though the tears and days of not speaking.

“ I know,” he didn’t, “And I’m sorry..”

“It’s horrible. But it isn’t your fault, Brain. Please don’t cry.” The taller mouse pushed himself up, and tentatively, he reached out a hand and placed in on Brain’s shoulder. 

Brain clamped his hand over top, as if desperate to keep him there. He didn’t realize it until now, but it was so strange to not feel Pinky’s touch for so long. Before he knew it he was pulled into a hug and he found himself sobbing into Pinky’s chest, and Pinky against his shoulder. They stayed like that for a good, long while. How long Brain couldn’t say, but eventually his tears ran dry and he could only hiccup. As he came back to his senses he realized the taller mouse had stopped crying and was rubbing his back reassuringly. This, perhaps more so than the tears, left him ashamed, because really he was not the one who deserved to be comforted. 

“Brain,” he felt the other whisper against his ear.

“Yes?” He responded, breathing into the soft fur of his companion’s chest. 

“The screwdriver. Where’s it at?”

It had been a while since he’s been baffled by something Pinky said. It was going to take some adjusting to. He pushed the other back to look at him inquiringly.

“The what?”

“The screwdriver! The wildly one. You wanted me to hold it.”

Oh. Oh. 

“Yes, right. I. I need you to do that. For tonight.”

“Why Brain, what are we gonna do tonight?”

“The same thing we do every night, my friend,” Brain patted the other’s face, eyes gleaming.

And for the first time in days, Pinky smiled.


End file.
